Psychology

Program Level:

Degrees, Pre-Majors/Transfer

Department:

Behavioral Sciences

Institute:

Public Service

College:

PAC

What is the psychology program?

Psychology is the scientific study of human behavior and mental processes, and the field encompasses both research and practice. Through research, we learn fundamental things about human and animal behavior. By practicing, that knowledge is applied in helping to solve human problems. In each of the subfields there are psychologists who work primarily as researchers, others who work primarily as practitioners, and many who do both (scientist-practitioners).

Psychology Program Highlights

Common goals for an undergraduate student in psychology include:

A broad knowledge base of information in psychology that reflects an understanding of human behavior
Developing effective critical thinking skills in reading and writing
Increased information-gathering skills (such as library, computerized databases, the internet)
Developing quantitative and qualitative methods of data analysis in research
Learning ethical standards essential to maintaining academic and scientific integrity
Developing interpersonal skills
Gaining knowledge relative to the historical development of psychology